Friday, February 27, 2009
What Horse Show People Can Learn from a Cat Show
In January, I attended a TICA cat show in Portland, Oregon. Although I'm a cat enthusiast, I don't show cats and am not very familiar with the cat show scene. So, the cat show provided a good window into what it might be like to attend a horse show as a member of the general public vs. an insider.
I found out about the cat show via a (free) listing in The Oregonian newspaper about events around town. The listing was published weekly, starting a few weeks before the show (i.e., not just the weekend of the show), so I had time to plan to attend. The show had also placed some paid advertisements in the "going out guide" section to build awareness. Obviously, these modest efforts worked - there were lots of spectators at the show.
The cat show made some good initial efforts to get spectators involved. The show awarded a "people's choice" prize, and upon entering the show, each spectator received a voting ballot. Show staff explained that the people's choice prize was highly sought after, and encouraged spectators to vote for their favorite cat.
However, upon entering the show, it was hard to tell what was going on. There were no schedules posted anywhere to help determine which cats would be judged at the various rings. When watching the judging and seeing various cages tagged, it was hard to tell what the tags meant - I had to ask another spectator. Some simple, straightforward informative signage could have helped educate spectators and help them understand what they were watching.
Most significant, perhaps, was my experience walking through the exhibitor and vendor areas. The show was set up in a hotel ballroom, with row upon row of caged cats in the middle, not unlike the barns at a horse show. In the aisles between cages, exhibitors and their friends were chatting, eating lunch and otherwise enjoying some downtime. I have an Oriental Shorthair cat, so I was especially interested in the Orientals at the show. I found one section with several cages of Orientals, and looked at the cats from a polite distance, taking care not to disturb them. I was hoping that the breeder standing nearby would see me looking at her cats and ask if she could answer any questions, but instead, she glared at me like I was trespassing and turned her back on me. So, I moved on the next section with Orientals. There, the breeder was quite personable and friendly, answered my questions very politely, and gave me one of her cards. Now, these two breeders are in the business of selling cats, but only one of them seemed to understand that spectators are potential customers. Guess which breeder I'm going to contact to purchase my next Oriental?!! Even if that first breeder had the very best cats available, I would never buy a cat from her.
Quite a few of the cages had signs indicating what breed the cat was, and what it's registered name and nicknames were. As a spectator, I found those little signs interesting and helpful. Some of the cats had notations on their signs about their various accomplishments - also fun to read. However, a few signs had rather abruptly worded admonitions to stay back and not touch the cat inside the cage, like the spectators were some kind of filthy riffraff who might sully the cats with their mere presence. The same goal surely could have been accomplished with a much more tactfully worded warning.
The show had a house pet division, in which unpedigreed cats could compete. I saw many of those exhibitors taking their cats out of their cages to meet and greet the public. Some of them gently asked spectators not to pet the cats so as not to spread disease, and others had hand santizer at the ready. Many of the house pet exhibitors eagerly answered questions and gave the spectators tips about watching the judging. If the spectators were thnking about what type of cat to get, surely the friendliness of this group would influence their decision.
There were various vendors with all sorts of cat-related items. Most of the vendors didn't seem to have much traffic through their booths and looked pretty bored. I thought that seemed like a great opportunity to ask questions about their products and the show. Most of the vendors cheerfully explained their products (the little handmade shorts were "stud pants"). I found some toys and catnip to buy as a little way of saying thank you for their friendlinss. One of the vendors, however, appeared to be irritated at being dragged away from his New York Times, so I didn't feel inspired to purchase anything at his booth.
In a time when horse show entries are shrinking, and youth kids are increasingly choosing other activities over horses, it's of paramount importance to welcome potential new participants to the horse industry. If spectators from the general public are interested enough to attend your show, with the right encouragement, they could very well become horse owners someday! So, make an effort to invite the public to your event, and once they are there, make them feel welcome. Encourage your exhibitors to be friendly to spectators, reminding the professionals that every spectator is a potential future customer. Have show management on hand to answer spectators' questions and help them enjoy the show. Make sure your vendors know in advance that members of the general public will be there, so they can bring any items they think might sell well to that audience. Overall, help make your show enjoyable for your spectators, and you just might see them in the show pen someday!
I found out about the cat show via a (free) listing in The Oregonian newspaper about events around town. The listing was published weekly, starting a few weeks before the show (i.e., not just the weekend of the show), so I had time to plan to attend. The show had also placed some paid advertisements in the "going out guide" section to build awareness. Obviously, these modest efforts worked - there were lots of spectators at the show.
The cat show made some good initial efforts to get spectators involved. The show awarded a "people's choice" prize, and upon entering the show, each spectator received a voting ballot. Show staff explained that the people's choice prize was highly sought after, and encouraged spectators to vote for their favorite cat.
However, upon entering the show, it was hard to tell what was going on. There were no schedules posted anywhere to help determine which cats would be judged at the various rings. When watching the judging and seeing various cages tagged, it was hard to tell what the tags meant - I had to ask another spectator. Some simple, straightforward informative signage could have helped educate spectators and help them understand what they were watching.
Most significant, perhaps, was my experience walking through the exhibitor and vendor areas. The show was set up in a hotel ballroom, with row upon row of caged cats in the middle, not unlike the barns at a horse show. In the aisles between cages, exhibitors and their friends were chatting, eating lunch and otherwise enjoying some downtime. I have an Oriental Shorthair cat, so I was especially interested in the Orientals at the show. I found one section with several cages of Orientals, and looked at the cats from a polite distance, taking care not to disturb them. I was hoping that the breeder standing nearby would see me looking at her cats and ask if she could answer any questions, but instead, she glared at me like I was trespassing and turned her back on me. So, I moved on the next section with Orientals. There, the breeder was quite personable and friendly, answered my questions very politely, and gave me one of her cards. Now, these two breeders are in the business of selling cats, but only one of them seemed to understand that spectators are potential customers. Guess which breeder I'm going to contact to purchase my next Oriental?!! Even if that first breeder had the very best cats available, I would never buy a cat from her.
Quite a few of the cages had signs indicating what breed the cat was, and what it's registered name and nicknames were. As a spectator, I found those little signs interesting and helpful. Some of the cats had notations on their signs about their various accomplishments - also fun to read. However, a few signs had rather abruptly worded admonitions to stay back and not touch the cat inside the cage, like the spectators were some kind of filthy riffraff who might sully the cats with their mere presence. The same goal surely could have been accomplished with a much more tactfully worded warning.
The show had a house pet division, in which unpedigreed cats could compete. I saw many of those exhibitors taking their cats out of their cages to meet and greet the public. Some of them gently asked spectators not to pet the cats so as not to spread disease, and others had hand santizer at the ready. Many of the house pet exhibitors eagerly answered questions and gave the spectators tips about watching the judging. If the spectators were thnking about what type of cat to get, surely the friendliness of this group would influence their decision.
There were various vendors with all sorts of cat-related items. Most of the vendors didn't seem to have much traffic through their booths and looked pretty bored. I thought that seemed like a great opportunity to ask questions about their products and the show. Most of the vendors cheerfully explained their products (the little handmade shorts were "stud pants"). I found some toys and catnip to buy as a little way of saying thank you for their friendlinss. One of the vendors, however, appeared to be irritated at being dragged away from his New York Times, so I didn't feel inspired to purchase anything at his booth.
In a time when horse show entries are shrinking, and youth kids are increasingly choosing other activities over horses, it's of paramount importance to welcome potential new participants to the horse industry. If spectators from the general public are interested enough to attend your show, with the right encouragement, they could very well become horse owners someday! So, make an effort to invite the public to your event, and once they are there, make them feel welcome. Encourage your exhibitors to be friendly to spectators, reminding the professionals that every spectator is a potential future customer. Have show management on hand to answer spectators' questions and help them enjoy the show. Make sure your vendors know in advance that members of the general public will be there, so they can bring any items they think might sell well to that audience. Overall, help make your show enjoyable for your spectators, and you just might see them in the show pen someday!
Labels: horse shows
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
If You Discount It, They Will Come - How to Make a Horse Show Economically Feasible in Tough Times
I went to a great APHA show in Chilliwack, British Columbia this weekend. The show was a model of what to do to get exhibitors to come show in this economic climate.
The BCPHC show is already well-known for its excellent location, friendly show management and great prizes, but last year, attendance was down and there was talk that the show might not be back this year. When I received the show premium for this year, I noticed that the show was offering a healthy discount on classes if I pre-registered for at least one class and paid for a stall. Once I got there, I could get a further discount on other classes if I entered more than one division of the same class. For example, if I entered an amateur class, I could enter the novice and/or open division of that same class for a discounted price. As a result, lots of exhibitors committed early to come to the show, and we talked other exhibitors into coming. Once we exhibitors got there, we entered multiple divisions and even tried new events, filling classes and creating lots of point-earning opportunities. Everyone went home happy!
This pricing strategy worked because show management's costs were already fixed. If they could get multiple people to enter more classes at the discounted price, they made more money than they would have with just the few usual entries at the regular price.
Labels: horse shows
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Unfair Show Judges - Can't We Do More Than Just Complain?
Recently, I attended a large, four-judge Paint Horse show. Typically, with a multiple-judge situation, perhaps only one of the judges might be selecting winners based upon criteria other than their performance, and it's not typically very obvious. However, at this show, all four judges seemed to be playing politics. Sitting in the stands, I was irritated when I saw an obviously lame horse pin fairly high in the Amateur Western Riding, but I was downright disgusted when I saw several off-pattern Amateur Western Horsemanship exhibitors take home points instead of getting the gate. These were fairly deep classes, so there were plenty of other exhibitors to choose from. And working from the wrong side of the cones was certainly not a subtle departure from the pattern. I couldn't help but think that if I, a relative nobody, had been on the lame horse or off pattern, I would have certainly have walked away empty-handed.
The ultimate irony: not even six months ago, I had actually written a letter to APHA recommending that one of the judges be approved for a judge's card. Based upon his training history and success in the show ring, I thought he'd be an excellent choice for a judge, someone with current skills.
All the way home from the show, I considered what I could do, and I was tempted to submit a follow-up letter retracting my earlier comments. But, after the benefit of a good night's sleep, I realized that sending a letter to APHA might be political suicide. While I know from representing a client in a dispute with APHA over a retracted judging card that APHA pays very close attention to feedback received on judges (good and bad), it can also share that feedback with the subject judge. The members of the APHA Judges' Committee also read that feedback, and some of the members might be friends of the subject judge. Sure, I'll go out of my way to avoid showing to that judge in the future, but I won't always have a choice - he may judge the World Show.
Still seething, I wondered what I could do. Then, I remembered last fall's Paint show in Spokane, where the show management had put out comment boxes and readily encouraged exhibitors to submit comments on the show, including what they liked best and least about the show. What a great idea that was! Seeking exhibitor comments at shows would allow management to gain valuable feedback about what they could do to make sure that exhibitors come back the following year and help attract new exhibitors. Surely, in a suffering economy with sky-high diesel prices, attendance is a paramount concern for show management.
In a situation where comments can be anonymous and numerous comments are submitted, there's a real opportunity for constructive feedback. After the show, management can review all of the comments submitted, note patterns and discard obviously anomalous comments, thereby producing a fairly accurate picture. Show management already has the opportunity to submit reviews of judges (particularly temporary judges) to the association - why not make the most of that opportunity by including exhibitor feedback? After all, without exhibitors, there would be no show!
The ultimate irony: not even six months ago, I had actually written a letter to APHA recommending that one of the judges be approved for a judge's card. Based upon his training history and success in the show ring, I thought he'd be an excellent choice for a judge, someone with current skills.
All the way home from the show, I considered what I could do, and I was tempted to submit a follow-up letter retracting my earlier comments. But, after the benefit of a good night's sleep, I realized that sending a letter to APHA might be political suicide. While I know from representing a client in a dispute with APHA over a retracted judging card that APHA pays very close attention to feedback received on judges (good and bad), it can also share that feedback with the subject judge. The members of the APHA Judges' Committee also read that feedback, and some of the members might be friends of the subject judge. Sure, I'll go out of my way to avoid showing to that judge in the future, but I won't always have a choice - he may judge the World Show.
Still seething, I wondered what I could do. Then, I remembered last fall's Paint show in Spokane, where the show management had put out comment boxes and readily encouraged exhibitors to submit comments on the show, including what they liked best and least about the show. What a great idea that was! Seeking exhibitor comments at shows would allow management to gain valuable feedback about what they could do to make sure that exhibitors come back the following year and help attract new exhibitors. Surely, in a suffering economy with sky-high diesel prices, attendance is a paramount concern for show management.
In a situation where comments can be anonymous and numerous comments are submitted, there's a real opportunity for constructive feedback. After the show, management can review all of the comments submitted, note patterns and discard obviously anomalous comments, thereby producing a fairly accurate picture. Show management already has the opportunity to submit reviews of judges (particularly temporary judges) to the association - why not make the most of that opportunity by including exhibitor feedback? After all, without exhibitors, there would be no show!
Labels: horse shows
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Hope for the Horse Industry?
I attended a Paint show last weekend in Monroe, Washington and was pleasantly surprised to see that the number of entries seemed relatively unchanged from the previous year, at least in the Novice and Amateur all-around classes. Barns seemed full, despite the gas prices (I paid $91 to fill up my truck on the way home!). Typically, this show is one of our largest in the Pacific Northwest, so I hope that the smaller shows are also well-attended.
Labels: horse shows
Friday, November 16, 2007
A New and Sinister Way to Cheat?
At Equine Legal Solutions, we are seeing what appears to be the beginning of a terrifying new trend. An innocent owner or trainer shows or races a horse, and the horse wins. The horse is then drug-tested. Weeks later, the owner and trainer receive a letter informing them that the horse has tested positive for a prohibited substance. The owner and trainer are outraged and certain that the test is a false positive, because they know they did not administer the prohibited substance to the horse. In fact, they may have never even heard of the substance.
The owner and trainer request a test of the B sample and it, too, comes back positive. The only possible explanation is bone-chilling: someone snuck into their horse's stall and gave their horse a drug without their knowledge or authorization.
The rules are strict - a positive drug test means forfeiting winnings and most likely a suspension as well. What can the innocent owner and trainer do? How do they prove that they were not responsible? Generally, they cannot get the police to investigate, and the show association or racing commission is not interested in helping them. Usually, the only practical choice is to hire a private investigator, and even they may not be able to uncover proof of malfeasance. In the event that the owner or trainer can prove that someone else administered the substance to the horse without their permission, they will likely have a viable legal case against the perpetrator. They will also likely have a viable defense for the administrative action they face from their show or racing commission. Otherwise, the owner and trainer are nearly helpless to defend themselves, and the evildoer gets away with the dirty deed.
What top competitors do to protect themselves from this new threat? One potential low cost solution is to install a webcam in each horse's stall area and have that camera record what happens when you cannot be there in person. Such a solution will also allow the competitor to monitor their horse's behavior and condition without leaving the comfort of their hotel room or RV. Another solution is to hire private security to monitor the horses 24 x 7, or at least during off hours. Still another solution is to organize an informal night watch program with trusted fellow competitors.
The owner and trainer request a test of the B sample and it, too, comes back positive. The only possible explanation is bone-chilling: someone snuck into their horse's stall and gave their horse a drug without their knowledge or authorization.
The rules are strict - a positive drug test means forfeiting winnings and most likely a suspension as well. What can the innocent owner and trainer do? How do they prove that they were not responsible? Generally, they cannot get the police to investigate, and the show association or racing commission is not interested in helping them. Usually, the only practical choice is to hire a private investigator, and even they may not be able to uncover proof of malfeasance. In the event that the owner or trainer can prove that someone else administered the substance to the horse without their permission, they will likely have a viable legal case against the perpetrator. They will also likely have a viable defense for the administrative action they face from their show or racing commission. Otherwise, the owner and trainer are nearly helpless to defend themselves, and the evildoer gets away with the dirty deed.
What top competitors do to protect themselves from this new threat? One potential low cost solution is to install a webcam in each horse's stall area and have that camera record what happens when you cannot be there in person. Such a solution will also allow the competitor to monitor their horse's behavior and condition without leaving the comfort of their hotel room or RV. Another solution is to hire private security to monitor the horses 24 x 7, or at least during off hours. Still another solution is to organize an informal night watch program with trusted fellow competitors.
Labels: horse shows
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